Happy Fathers Day!

So I decided to get creative yet again (surprise surprise).

Two super easy crafts to go with my dad's main gift of American money for one of his upcoming trips.

I got both ideas online but modified each slightly...

The first thing I made was the jar (I filled it with almonds for my dad).  All you need for this gift is: A jar and black paint pen.  I got the idea online from a site that sells these little decals to put on jars.  Why bother with the decals when you can make it yourself?

So easy!  All you need to do is draw the image I have up top on a jar with a paint marker.  I'm a perfectionist, so I usually sketch it on a piece of paper and fold it in so I have it there in case I need it.  The good thing with paint markers, is that although they are permanent, you can usually take off a little mistake if you make one with rubbing alcohol.

And the little monster below was originally designed as a cell phone charger (you poke a hole through and fun the charger through) but I decided to use it as a cell phone holder instead.  I knew my dad would be cursing if I looped his charger through.  All you need for this little guy is: Fake fur, big googlie eyes, a glue gun, felt, scissors, and clay!  I wish I had taken pictures during the process..but I was in a wee bit of a hurry......I really have become a last minute gal......

All you do is get a big glob of clay.....punch your hand into the middle and shape it so there's an area to set your cell phone in.  Then...let the clay dry over night......bust out the glue gun and fur.  Glue the fur onto the little monster.  Glue the googlie eyes on wherever you wish.  Cut out a circle from felt....shove it into the mouth just to make sure it fits right....don't just assume it will....Once you've double checked it, glue it into the mouth and voila!  Good to go!

Happy Fathers Day to all the Fathers and Fathers-to-be!!

A.A.

I've wanted to post this for a while but couldn't...

Because the baby shower wasn't until today!

I created another mixed-media canvas for a good friend of mine who is having a little boy in August!  Her nursery theme is sports and dogs.....so....I stuck out the sport theme and chose a few different piece of sports equipment to incorporate in the piece (oh yeah, her colours are a beige and baby blue - so cute!).  I actually had a second painting started (to match her theme)....but I didn't like it...so I stopped and destroyed it...here's what I had of it so far...

But it didn't survive....I hated how it looked...so I destroyed it....(sorry Erin!)

So here is how it started out....

First, I sketched the pieces of sports equipment onto the canvas....Then, I took the small pieces of crayons that I wanted to use and glued them on like so:

Again, I can't emphasize enough that you make sure you've lined the area you're working in with newspapers and paper bags...just in case someone distracts you while you're melting the crayons with a hair dryer...

Next, I busted out the acrylics and began to paint:

And here is the final product!  I always use a matte varnish to spray overtop of the painting (just in case!):

A.A.

Sorry for the lack of updates!

I'm sorry for the lack of updates!

Provincial testing has been extremely exhausting and has taken over my life this past week....but I will kind of get my life back after Tuesday....

I am currently working on a gift and will post pictures once I am able to. I can't post an image until this person has it in his/her hands....so until then I'm a little stuck......

So here is a picture to tie you over until I am able to post the final gift product.  I took this photo last summer in my kitchen.

Enjoy!

A.A.

An oldie but my fave

Okay...I've been slacking on the posts lately....I know.....EQAO is taking over my life for the next 2 weeks...yip-ee......And my mind has been constantly thinking of this piece I did about 6 years ago......I can't find it ANYWHERE and I've torn my bedroom apart...it's driving me nuts....So because my mind has been CONSTANTLY thinking about this particular piece lately...I've decided to post it up....in the hopes that something triggers in my mind and I can figure out where on earth I've placed it......And I know I've lent it out...but I swear I got it back.....so the ball is in my court....somewhere......

So the story behind this piece......I think I re-started this and crumpled it up at least 10 times....on a Friday night over a glass of wine...I'm a perfectionist....and my own worst enemy...what can I say?  and it was really only completed for one of those basic Visual Arts classes you have to take for Teachers College.....But...when Visual Arts is one of your majors and one of your teach-ables, why wouldn't you make the best of it, no?  So for this particular class we had to create a piece in the style of van Gogh (one of my fave artists!).  It may look more time consuming than it actually is...It probably took me 45 minutes or so to create.

As you know (or may not know), van Gogh created pieces using small strokes in post-impressionist fashion.  So I did the same. I chose to use oil pastels and paper for my medium, and a flower for my subject.

Now be aware: Pastels are messy!  (That's what I like about 'em!).  Once I finished the piece I laminated it...but....if you don't have access to a laminator.....dose your piece in hair spray.  It keeps the pastel from smudging!!!!






And this is the final product!
Now fingers crossed that I find it (soon!).  It's driving me crazy!!!!!!

A.A.

P.S. If you want to see more van Gogh artwork, visit the Vincent van Gogh Gallery: http://www.vangoghgallery.com/.

One of my favourite things...

I know...I know....before you say it, I've been slacking this past week.  Not a single post since last weekend....Work has been very busy...teaching, running a book fair, etc.  I keep waking up at like 3 am thinking of everything I have to do...nice, eh?  So I am sorry for the lack of posting.....I guarantee there will be lots in the summer though!

I know this one's an "oldie."  I painted it for my parent's anniversary several summers ago while they were away in Aruba.  But I still love it.  It was the very first acrylic painting I ever created.  I just bought a cheap $10 Reeves acrylic paint set from Wal-Mart, busted out a canvas and this is what my hands led me to create.

I wish I had taken pictures of it in progress...but unfortunately I didn't.....From now on I take pictures of my work in progress.  I don't want to shed a moment.

Here's my very first acrylic piece.  Took a couple of days..but I have to admit..it's still one of my faves...Enjoy!

Without the frame:

With the frame: As mounted in my parents room:

A.A.

If I survive this shin-dig...

Here's the second creation I made for my Nanny & Pappy's 50th shin-dig (now here's to hoping I survive it!).  I have to admit though......I'm not happy with it and am still considering destroying it instead of letting it make it's appearance for tonight.......

I hoped this one would work out a lot better....I actually took my naked canvas and taped the number 50 on it (hoping the crayons would drip over it and that when I peeled away the tape, I would have this white number 50...no dice.....it didn't matter that the tape was stuck close to the canvas...the crayons decided to be a hassle, have a mind of their own, and drip underneath the tape anyways.....Of course.....Why wouldn't it, right?)  Oh well.....

I decided to fix some of my "unhappiness" by painting the 50 in bold black acrylic paint.

Here's the finished product.  I sprayed gold glitter and varnish overtop (you can't see the glitter in the picture!  I swear it's there though!).  And....... it's ready for the festivities tonight.  Wish I could say I'm happy with it....but I'm not....

Being a perfectionist means you really are your own worst enemy.

A.A.

Love...or something like it

So it's my Nanny & Pappy's 50th wedding anniversary celebration tomorrow......I swear this shin-dig is larger than their actual wedding.....so tomorrow's going to be a day of getting all dolled up in a "casual" manner (but no jeans - so in other words, formal...).

And as a part of the anniversary gift from me, I of course decided to make something (actually two something's - but I haven't finished the other something yet....I've got less than 24 hours to pull it together...I guess I better get going....).

I really liked this owl creation that I made last summer (the first time I saw polymer clay on sale @ Michaels and I had to pick it up to try it)....and I thought I would recreate a similar piece with some modifications....so I did.  I busted out the polymer clay:

And got to work.  Creating this piece really didn't take a particularly lengthy amount of time.  About an hour of sculpting...and less than 30 minutes of cooking time in the oven.

Here is the work in progress...one of the little lovelies....

And this...is the final product after it is cooked!

Now all I've gotta do is hot glue gun a magnet on the back, wrap it up all pretty, and it's ready to gift for tomorrow!

Phew!

A.A.